Biofeedback Induction (for Children)

If you use a biofeedback monitor (GSR meter) in your hypnosis sessions then children will find this induction especially fascinating as they watch the numbers go up and down - it also gives them something to fixate on.  Many young children will go into hypnosis with their eyes open which makes this induction doubly useful. 

  To begin with you should introduce the biofeedback monitor to the child in a way that they can understand.  Depending on their age, maturity and interests younger children can simply be told that the GSR meter can show them how warm or cold they are - older children can be told that they can control the meter by thinking certain thoughts.  Children who are interested in magic (and aren't most?) can be told that it is a magical machine - adapt the script accordingly.  It is also useful to ascertain beforehand the level of the child's mathematical ability so that you don't sound as though you're preaching to them).

I want you to watch very closely at the numbers on this screen - (show them the screen) - the numbers can go up and down depending on what you are thinking about.

When you're ready (having strapped the finger pads onto the child's fingers) - do you know what number it says now?  (e.g.) - it says 56 - when it goes down it might say 54 or 53 - even 40 - (for very young children only) - you know the numbers from one to five - one - two - three - four - five - that's going up - when you go down you go backwards - five - four - three - two - one.  It's the same with numbers over ten - they go from twenty to thirty to forty - backwards from forty - thirty to twenty and then back down from ten to zero.

Okay so it says (e.g. 56) - keep watching the screen - and whilst you concentrate on the numbers I want you to choose a particular finger  - maybe your right index finger (again ensure that you know that the child knows what an index finger is - and - if they are left handed it might be better to use the left index finger).

Have you chosen which finger you want to control?  (Wait for response) - good - now I want you to imagine that you are putting that finger into a glass of icy cold water - feel it becoming colder and colder (pause) - (as a Hypnotherapist you need to adapt the response of the meter reading to suit the circumstances - look at the indicators on the GSR meter and use them accordingly - i.e. if the reading lowers you can say)

And the colder your finger becomes the lower the number is.

(Some children may experience anxiety about immersing their finger into a glass of cold water (which could result in a reverse reading), in which case you need to alter the suggestion - i.e. - and the colder you feel the higher the reading becomes.

Feel your finger becoming really numb - just like if you sleep on one side and your arm becomes so numb that you can't feel it any more.  And the more numb it becomes the lower (or higher) the numbers go.

Now I want you to imagine that you are warming your hands near a fire.  Perhaps you can remember being at a bonfire or at a barbeque (alter this accordingly if your client isn't familiar with bonfire night).  You can see the flames flickering - wisps of smoke going into the air - blue and yellow sparks and watch as the fireworks are lit and explode into cascades of colour, whirling sounds and more sparks.

And you are only as close to the fire as it is safe to be - but you can feel the warmth of the glows and your hands become warmer and warmer - feel your hands becoming warmer - so warm - and the warmer they become, the higher the reading on the machine is - look - it's going higher and higher (give examples of the reading).

The rest of your body is getting warm and comfortable - so warm from the glows of the fire - you are becoming so comfortable - it is just like being in your bed at home with your quilt/covers - tucked all around you.  It's so nice when it's cold outside and you are warm and snug in bed - becoming sleepier and sleepier.  Can you remember just how it feels - when you are falling asleep - drifting comfortably into dream land?  I wonder what sort of things you dream about? 

I'll be quiet for a few moments and I want you to remember a very special dream - remember it exactly as it was.  If you hear my voice talking to you just ignore it and carry on with your dream until it's time to wake up.

(At this point, commence with suggestions appropriate to the child's problem - their subconscious mind will pick up on the important elements of the treatment session).

More Hypnosis Inductions